The Light Burns Brightest In The Darkside

Darkness dressed as light

Chapter 2
Zykes recalled that day and evening better than any other before or since. It was the night he was separated so cruelly from his parents, along with his brothers: Zarkx, Keller and Serx.
Zykes recalled that they were not allowed to watch the TV that night and their parents for the first time spent the whole evening arguing. Zykes was the only one who tried to find out what they were arguing about. Being he caused least problems, he figured he could get closest without being spotted, and he did. He got close long enough to hear that his parents were arguing about leaving the planet as refugees. Their mother very much wanted to, while his father argued that 'Living here was our birthright and no way would the Imperials drive us out like animals from our own planet!!'
It was at that point that they both spotted Zykes cowering in the corner and peeking through the door. They opened the door and pulled Zykes in, it wasn't a difficult task given that Zykes had already heard enough to know what was happening to them, he hadn't even considered the possibility of such a thing before, he figured that being on a neutral planet would prevent this. After all they served both sides didn't they and equally so! Also hadn't a mutual treaty been signed? Why would such respectable people go back on their word? Surely his parents were mistaken right?
Zykes was terrified, there was nothing his parents could now say to console him, he wasn't even crying, though he couldn't recall his exact age, he knew that he was young enough for that to be an appropriate response. But, for the very first time in his life he felt such terror that he went almost immediately into shock and couldn't say a word when his parents had pulled him into the kitchen before he could say anything to his brothers. "What did you hear?" They both asked him.. He explained what he had heard and more importantly, what he had understood from the conversation. It was not what his parents had hoped for, he was stood there shaking in fear. Both his parents now comforting Zykes while his other brothers, also curious, now peeked in. They too were called in for a family hug. It seemed the building commotion outside would soon become apparent.
It quickly escalated outside from commotion into outright riot!! People were now running and screaming everywhere. That's when it all changed and became chaotic. That's when it all changed for the Xander's!
Suddenly, 4 men burst through the door, it startled everyone at first, but they soon calmed down on seeing the friendly uniforms of the Republic guard, though they looked seriously injured and covered with blood, at first glance it did genuinely seem that they were injured in a skirmish. But despite this they seemed in no obvious pain and despite the significant amount of blood on their uniforms, they appeared to be in no distress, which struck a couple of the family members as odd. They should have been in agony not all smiles.

Nevertheless, the one in charge asked if their name was Xander, to which they obviously replied "Yes we are the Xander family" The commander immediately said "You need to come with us immediately Mr & Mrs Xander as you are in grave danger, the Imperials are on their way fast, don't worry the kids a second team will take care of them, come on quickly" they were led abruptly out into a blacked out van. Zykes suddenly realised what the problem with the soldiers was, but he feared his parents had too and both knew it was too late to create a scene. The problem was that THEY weren't injured, There was not a scratch on them. The only horrific conclusion being that they had killed the republic guards and those were imperials impersonating them. But it was all too late, there was no time to warn them, anyway they had realised by now for themselves when they saw the look on the people already in the van.
Despite being dragged away, with the only witness being Zykes, as his brothers had now been taken to a separate room. He was calling for them as loudly as he could, "Mum, Dad! Please don't go with those people" they were already being dragged out the back door. His mother just looked at him and smiled, saying only "No matter where you end up, just remember, the light always burns brightest in the darkness my boy" she was then pulled forcibly out of the room and into the van, which made no pretense of what it was, a prisoner transport vehicle, Zykes could just about make out the 'Galactic Empire' symbol on the back of the van as he saw it drive off, at least he thought that was the symbol.
Suddenly, the imperials came, only instead of being the stereotypical bad guys, a they had so often been portrayed, instead, they seemed genuinely concerned for the welfare of the boys. They brought plenty of sweets and chocolate bars etc. with them in order to give to the kids which were now all that remained after the Republic siding adults had been detained.
At first, Zykes wasn't taken in by any of this. He tried to warn his brothers, then his friends, then anyone who would listen. "These are the same people who took our parents, don't be fooled by them!! I saw their emblem, clear as day!!" A sad faced Imperial officer came over and knelt in front of him. He said softly to Zykes, "Let me show you something", he produced two badges from his jacket pocket, the first was the Galactic Empire symbol in blue, Zykes immediately pointed to it and said "That was it!! The symbol I saw, that one right there, but in black! Definitely!!!" He stood there with an angered face. The imperial officer said softly to him, "Is it at all possible, that in your blind misplaced hatred for us, that you failed to see mistakenly got it wrong" He now produced a second emblem badge, that of the rebel alliance, in black. This confused Zykes greatly, because, if he was honest with himself, this looked more like what he recalled seeing, and that it was in black too, and the similar round shape, only underneath the badge it said something that he did not quite understand.
For the first time ever, he had seen something political that was completely new to him. It did not occur to him at the time that the reason he may not have heard of them was that they did not exist,To young Zykes,  after all why wouldn't they, he was looking at their emblem and surely the imperials couldn't make up an entire faction of a political party could they? Especially one that answered so many questions. The reason his parents were taken, the un-wounded soldiers in the bloody uniforms and in fact the whole reason for this apparent coup in the first place. It all made sense to Zykes actually when he read what the badge said "The Black order of the Rebel Alliance". Of course such an order would be responsible for such a blatant attack on a democratic government. It was so bad that even the 'so called' bad guys were here rescuing us. In amongst all this death and despair Zykes couldn't see that this was all an elaborate plan by the imperials to overthrow the current democratic system in place, consisting of; The galactic empire, The alliance to restore the galactic republic (of which there is no known black order, that it was purely fabricated by the Galactic Empire, to seize power and order from chaos and anarchy; out of belief that the republic side could have a rogue faction starting an internal civil war and surely the Galactic Empire will be there to offer it's gentle might and pillar of stability during these troubling times) and a minority of a few other trading committee's to make up the minority seats.
Nevertheless. through all this, now at this moment in time, the only concern to Zykes and his brothers, was the current situation, the here and now, which went a bit like this. There was only one group of people concerned with Zykes and his brothers welfare at this moment in time and truth be told they must have been particularly picked for this duty since you can only 'put on' genuine care and concern to a certain extent and never to sincerity. However the Stormtroopers and their Scouttrooper Commander, seemed more than somewhat concerned for Zykes and his brothers, they were 'entirely' concerned with their welfare. The scouttrooper, Major Isar, was one of the nicest people that Zykes had ever met. Which, given his parents status, were mostly dignitaries and politicians, who have little time for some inconsequential child; such as Zykes would have seemed to them, would be of little surprise to the outside observer. But to Zykes this man was something entirely new to him, he was what can best be described as his new 'Hero'. How his brothers felt Zykes was unsure, they certainly admired Cmdr. Isar and his men. But in truth they seemed to be treating Zykes just a bit more special than his brothers and that did not go unnoticed by Zykes, his brothers seemed indifferent to them, but Zykes saw them for their 'Sincere' care and concern and for what they were to him at that time, His saviours! Through all the Chaos and Anarchy around them, Zykes just felt that in the absence of his parents, out of all the people that needed help, they were here with him and also they kept their word, as true heroes should and watched over Zykes and his brothers until, well until......that's for the next chapter.